Traveling sprinkler



E. ZERWECK.

TRAVELING SFRINKLEB. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I5. 1920.

Patented May 30, 1922.

sprinkler along a track,

ing provided for reversing ERNEST' ZERWECK, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA..

TBAVELING `SPR/INIKLER.

israelita'.

rcling Sprinklers, of which the following is a specification. l

r)This invention relates Yto improved means for sprinkling large areas of ground, and the `invention has [for its objects among others to provide an improved sprinkler which will travel backward and forward on a predetermined path, at the saine time throwing the water to a considerable distance on each side of said path.` 1

It has for a furtherobject to provide a sprinkler of this `general character witlisimple means whereby the rotation of the sprinrler is utilized to move the. carrier for the `automatic means bethe direction of travel of the said carrier.

l aim further at improvements in Athe de-` tails Aof construction as will be hereinafter more particularly explained. Y

Other ob'ects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention, in its preferred form, is clearly illustratedy in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of'refcrence marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure lis a side view of my improved sprinkler, with portions broken away and parts in section. j

Figure 2 is an end view thereof with parts in section.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a detail of con'- struction, with one of the shafts of one of the gears shown in cross section.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation showing the clutch and thereversing mechanism.

Figure 5 is a detail in elevation showing a modified form of the hose-winding reel.

Like numerals of reference indicate likel parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

1 indicates a raised track supported by suitable means as the posts 2, upon which can run wheels 3 of a carriage 4, having means supporting on ball bearings 6 a rotary sprinkler 7 of ordinary construction. The

central vertical pipe 8 of said sprinkler Specification of Letters Patent.

' Par-eared nay sarees.

Application medina@ 15, i920.` semi no. 389,092.

communicatesthrough apacking 9 with a vertical pipe 1() which is connected by a coupling 11 with a iiexible pipe 12 which is wound upon aspring-actuated drum 13 rotatably mounted in supports 14 on the ground.

The vertical pipe 8 of said sprinkler oariies a pinion 16 which meshes with a gear wheel 17 on a vertical shaft 18 carried by the carriage l4vand having thereon a pinion 19 carrying a clutch member 2O and.

loose on the ver'ical shaft 18 but caused to rotate therewith by means of Ia clutch 21 vrotating with said shaft 13. `Said pin iony 19 meshes with a gear wheel 22 upon a vertical shaft 23 `mounted in bearings 24 carried by the carriage 4, said shaft 23 being extended, as at 25, and also carrying a gear wheel 26 which meshes with a horizon tally extending rack 27 secured to the posts 2. 4Thereby said shaft 23 and carriage et' are caused to move longitudinally, carry# ing therewith the sprinkler 7. A lever 23 operating the clutch extends on both sides of the clutch, as shown in vFigure 4, and each end of thelever, in turn, is caused to engage one ofk two inclined surfaces or wedges 29 at the ends of the path of the carriage 4, thereby shifting the clutch from one operating position to the other. A

weight 30 adjustably secured on the leverl 28 balances the weight of the clutch, so that the lever remains in any position to which it has been moved. In the other operating position, the operative connection is broken between the shaft 18 and the pinion 19 and an operative connection is closed between the shaft 18 and a pinion 31 thereon which meshes with a gear wheel 32 on a vertical shaft 33 rotating in bearings 3-/1carried by the carriage, on which shaft 33 is secured an upper gear wheel 36 which meshes with the gear wheel 22 and thereby rotates said gear wheel in the opposite direction to its previous direction.

The winding drum or reel may be weightactuated, instead of spring-actuated, and in Figure 5 l have shown one form of such modiied form of winding mechanism, wherein, in heu of the spring for actuating the drum, I have shown a weight 37, at-

tached to one end of a cord or the like 38' which runs over the pulleys 39 and 40, suitably supported by the upright 41 and the lateral member k42, suitably braced, as at 43, the other end of the cord or liga-v ment 38 being wound upon the drum in a welLknown manner. 'n

, I also may provide roller supports 44 for the running oi the hose, as seen in Figure l, which may be supported in proper position in any suitable manner, as by the uprights l5 rising from the rack, as seen in said View. These roller supports7 however, may not always be present, although desirable in some instances as they prevent sagging of the hose when being run out for long disy tances.

that is claimed as new is l. A rotatably mounted drum, a track, a carrier mounted to travel on said track, a rotatably mounted. sprinkler carried by the carrier, 'a hose carried by the carrier yand wound upon said drum to directly rotate the sprinkler, a horizontally extending rack, and gearing interposed between the rack and sprinkler for moving said carrier along the track.

2. A rotatably mounted drum, a track, a carrier mounted to travel on said track, a rotatably mounted sprinkler carried by the carrier, a hose carried by the carrier and wound upon said drum to directly rotate the sprinkler, a horizontally extending rack, ,gearing interposed between the rack and sprinkler for moving said carrier along the track, and means for automatically re' versing the direction of' travel ofthe carrier.

3. The combinationof a rotary sprinkler, a carriage therefor, a track upon which said carriage travels, a flexible hose connected to the rotary sprinkler, the 'sprinkler beingrotated directly by the flow of the water through 'the hose'and' means whereby the rotation of the sprinkler moves said carriage alongfsaid track comprising alongim tudinally extending rack and a gear wheel actuated by the rotation of the carriage and pressing against said rack, and gearingactuated by said gear wheel for rotating the sprinkler. i i

4E. The combination lwith a' rotary sprinkler, a carriage therefor, a trackupon which Said carriage travels, a flexible hose connected to the rotary sprinkler, the sprinkler being rotated directly by the flow of the water through the hose, means whereby the rotation of the sprinkler moves said. carriage along said track comprising a longitudinally extendingA rack, ya gear wheel operatively connected with the axle of the sprinkler meshing withv vsaid rack and an operative gear connection between the sprinkler and the gear wheel whereby the rotation of the former rotates the latter.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ERNEST znnwnck. 

